Family
by JoBelle
Summary: Just a lil post 'Birthday' scene


Title: Family  
Disclaimer: Nobody's mine, don't sue me!  
Timeline : Just after 'Birthday' Season 2  
  
  
  
Tess' shrill scream split the stillness of midnight in the Valenti household causing both men to sit bolt upright in their beds and go careening towards her room at top speed hastily pulling weapons to the ready. Jim and Kyle Valenti nearly ran into each other skidding down the hall.  
  
One, two, three, Jim silently counted off on his fingers nodding to Kyle before kicking in the door. They burst in facing in opposing directions covering the entire room.  
  
Nothing.  
  
  
"No! No! Stop! Let me go!" Tess screamed in terror her hands flailing about, fending off the unseen attackers of her nightmares.   
  
Jim sighed heavily and shook his head, drawing a hand across his brow, handing his gun to Kyle before going to the girl.  
  
"Tess...Tess!" He called, shaking her gently. "Wake up. Tess!" The blonde sat up with a start, her eyes wide and unseeing in the near dark. "Tess, Tess, look at me Tess. You're safe. It's okay." Jim reassured as her deep blue eyes finally focused, the room, him, Kyle, it all registered. No skins, no nameless enemies in here trying to hurt her like the Congresswoman had, she really was safe here.  
  
With a sigh she collapsed back against her pillows throwing an arm over her face to hide the tears of relief. "I'm sorry I woke you two up but I'm okay now thanks." She said quietly not moving her hand.  
  
"Are you sure?" he queried.  
  
Tess nodded mutely. The sheriff stared at her, at a loss as to whether to question the girl further or to take her at her word. Finally he rose from where he was kneeling next to the bed and with one last pat of her hand walked out the door, closing it quietly behind him.   
  
  
Hearing the door close Tess assumed she was alone and rolled over, burying her face in the pillows, her tears quickly soaked the dark blue fabric. She started violently when she felt a gentle hand on the small of her back, flipping over swiftly to find Kyle sitting next to her. Hastily she blinked the tears out of her eyes and swiped at her face angrily. "I'm okay." She insisted vehemently glaring at him until he reached out and gently wiped away a stray tear she'd missed. "I know." he replied catching another with the pad of his thumb, watching in fascination as it rolled over his finger. His hand stroked the curve of her cheek softly being careful to avoid the purple bruise on her cheekbone. "I am! Really! It was just a dream. Whittaker's dead, Isabel killed her, I saw it." She declared, her face earnest, her tone pleading as if she were trying to convince him when they both knew she was trying to convince herself.  
  
Kyle was sudden overcome with sympathy for this strange, alien girl who had disrupted his life and taken over his bedroom. Maybe it was the fact that she looked so lost and alone, a feeling he knew well from the first few weeks after his mom left, maybe it was the trembling of her rose petal pink lower lip as she struggled valiantly against her tears but right then he realized something, in that instant he wanted to rip out Whittaker's spine and beat her with it for causing Tess such pain, and that sparked the realization that he cared about her, not as just someone who he shared a house with but as a friend. He didn't view her as the alien that had taken over his room or another of Max Evan's efforts to ruin his life but as a friend, as someone he'd stick up for and look after and trust. It was then that Tess became family in Kyle's eyes and there was nothing he wouldn't do for family.  
  
Her tired eyes pleaded with him whilst she fought to hold her chin steady against its trembling. Cupping her chin gently Kyle leaned down and brushed his lips lightly against her forehead.  
  
"Go to sleep Tess, I'll be right here till morning." He whispered against her skin, feeling the light shudder that coursed through her.  
  
She nodded, blushing prettily as Kyle got off the bed. Pulling the desk chair closer to the bed he straddled it, folding his arms across the top and laying his head on his arms. The two locked eyes for a few seconds.  
  
"You don't have to,"  
  
"But I'm going to."  
  
She nodded after a long moment and then turned on her side away from him and pulled the covers higher.  
  
"Goodnight Kyle." She murmured into the dark.  
  
"Goodnight Tess." 


End file.
